Bone Irony
by Sgt.Pepperony
Summary: Hodgins and Angela find out that something they did not want to hear. While shocked at first, they know that crying would not help Wendell through his ordeal so they decide to be his support (as well as his family and Brennan, Booth, Cam and Sweets) to ensure he fights and wins. Mildly humours in places, can be sad as well. Spoilers for 9x13. *Complete*
1. Wendell has Cancer?

**Title: **Bone Irony**  
Author:** Sgt. Pepperony  
**Fandom: **Bones  
**Rating:** T for mature themes. I think that is the best way to describe it.  
**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bones or the characters. I only own Emma, Jamie and Zoe.

**So … the ending of Big in the Philippines gave me an idea. Considering how close Angela and Hodgins are to Wendell, I wondered how they would react. It might take a few weeks into the chemotherapy so this has descriptions of the side effects of the chemo so if you are squeamish about these descriptions it might be best to skip this. Sorry. This is multi-chapter story.**

Chapter One

"Do you think that the father has a motive?" asked Brennan when she, Booth, Angela and Hodgins were having dinner in their house.

"Possibly. The guy assaulted his daughter, and I know if anyone did that to Christine I would not hesitate," Booth answered.

"I don't think you would actually kill the guy, I think you would just beat him up real bad," Angela commented taking a bite of the chicken.

"I did find some hair samples in what was the victim's jacket," said Hodgins. "Cam is running it through the DNA database to see if there is a match."

"What colour was the hair?" asked Brennan.

"I think it might have been blonde, it was also around mid-length."

"That isn't the father's. He has short grey hair." The house phone rang and Brennan got out of her seat to answer it. "Brennan." She moved into the kitchen so that no one else could hear her conversation. "Okay, Wendell, listen to me carefully. Try to find some aspirin and I will be right there." Brennan hung up the phone and called, "Booth!"

"Bones, what is it?" he asked coming into the kitchen.

"Wendell's just called. He thinks he has a fever and he's been sick. I think it might be both a symptom of the cancer and a side effect of the chemotherapy."

"Does he need to go to hospital? I can drive him if he needs."

"I'll go to his apartment to see how bad it is. I'll drive him if it is really bad but if I can get it to cool down, I'll bring him back here and we'll see how he is in the morning."

"What about Hodgins and Angela?"

"Listen, just tell them the situation and that I'll be back in about two hours at the latest," Brennan answered grabbing her car keys.

"Okay, I'll see you soon." Brennan left the house and started the car.

"Where has Brennan gone?" asked Angela when Booth returned. "Has something happened at the lab?"

"No," Booth answered sitting down. "Wendell has a fever and is throwing up so Bones has gone to see how bad it is before he can be taken to the hospital."

"Why would he have called you for what sounds like a bit of food poisoning?" asked Hodgins.

"It's not food poisoning. Wendell … He has Ewing's Sarcoma. It's bone cancer."

"Cancer?" Angela asked looking dumbfounded. "Wendell has cancer?"

"Unfortunately. Bones spotted something was not right when I showed her a video of his arm being broken on the ice. That was about four weeks ago. It was a shock to me as well."

"He's known about this for four weeks and he didn't tell us?" asked Hodgins trying to wrap his head around it.

"I think he is still trying to deal with it himself, or he wanted to wait until there was a clear prognosis. The treatment is very aggressive and even then it might not work," Booth explained. "At the moment we don't know what the outcome is going to be."

"His poor mother though," Angela whispered not paying attention to Booth. "Her husband died of cancer, now she has to go through it with her son."

"Hey, Angie, he isn't going to die. None of us is going to let him and he knows how stubborn we all are. Even if I have to find the cure for cancer myself, he is not leaving us," Hodgins declared firmly.

-o-

About an hour and a half later, Booth heard the car pull up to the driveway and breathed a sigh of relief that it meant that it was not serious. Angela and Hodgins had stayed, both were still in shock and Angela had cried at least twice in the last hour. It hadn't helped that Brennan had brought in Wendell wearing hat to cover the bald patches that had formed as a result of the chemotherapy and the dark circles that had formed under his eyes from lack of sleep. Those were the only real differences, though he did look a little thinner.

Angela did not say anything but just went to hug him. "Hey Angela," he said.

"Sweetie, why did you not tell us sooner?" she asked.

"I didn't want to worry you."

"You need to have people worrying about you. I do not care if you are nearly thirty, you need the support."

"Thanks I suppose. I think I need to sit down though."

"Okay." Angela let him go and he sat on the couch next to Booth. Brennan had told Booth that the fever was just under one hundred degrees and that the anti-nausea medicine was working so he was staying for the night just in case.

"Have you eaten at all Wendell? We have some chicken left over if you need anything," stated Booth.

"I'm fine, honestly." Wendell looked straight at Hodgins, who hadn't spoken since his declaration earlier.

"Bones and I are going to check on Christine," said Booth getting up and went upstairs with Brennan.

"You all right Hodgins," Wendell asked.

"I'm fine, I'm not the one who is sick," he answered. "How many chemotherapy sessions have you had?"

"Three. The actual process isn't bad, and I knew what I was getting myself into. I saw my dad go through it so it makes the side effects less surprising."

"How much of your hair is gone?" Wendell removed the hat and there was some clear bald patches on the side of his head. "We might have to start shaving it."

Wendell laughed a little, "That sounds like fun."

"How … How did you mother take it?" Angela inquired sitting next to him.

"Um … She was shocked initially. Then she cried, which was the hardest thing to deal with. She wanted me to move back in but I said that I needed some normality in my life and it would be quicker to get to the hospital if I still stayed in the city. Then she said she was going to move in with me, but she already has her hands full with my niece and my uncle going through dementia."

"So you are still going to work at the lab?" asked Angela. "With all the foul smelling gross stuff?"

"Dr Saroyan said that I could keep my job if I wanted to. I will admit that I just wanted to give up and take off to South America, but Booth gave me a pep talk. I do have a life waiting for me, with my job, my future wife and my future kids, and that is if I can still have kids after all the chemo."

"You could always freeze your sperm," Hodgins shrugged. "Booth said the treatment is very aggressive."

"Eight to twelve weeks of chemo, and then they look to see if the tumour can be removed surgically, then if that is successful then I would have to have radiation on my arm to remove any remaining cancer cells and finally several more months of chemo to remove any other cancer cells if they have spread." Wendell explained. It wasn't exact as though he wanted to think about the treatment, but he may as well tell his friends what to expect. "There is still a chance that my arm could get amputated and even then it might not be enough to make me live in the long-term."

"Doesn't sound so bad. You could have a hook for a hand. I know you cannot work with a hook, but you could always become a member of the US Paralympics hockey team."

"It wouldn't be a bad idea," said Wendell, contemplating the idea. "Don't you two have to get back to Michael?"

"He's upstairs in Christine's room," answered Angela. "So, what are the odds of you beating this successfully?"

"They said that it could be fifty percent now I am stage two. If it spreads to any other places then it's thirty percent." There was a silence before Wendell spoke again, "Guys, I'm feeling a bit beat."

"Okay we'll leave you to go to sleep," Angela stated giving Wendell another hug.

"Call us if you need anything buddy," said Hodgins getting up.

"Will do. I think Dr B said I was sleeping in Parker's room so I will follow you up if you have to grab Michael."


	2. How's the Patient?

Chapter Two 

The next morning, Brennan went to Parker's bedroom to check if Wendell needed anything to drink before she got Christine her breakfast. While he was asleep, he seemed to be shivering so when Brennan checked to see if he was warm but found that he was very hot. She quickly ran to the bathroom to grab the ear thermometer and disinfected it before running back.

"Bones what is going on?" Booth asked following her from the bathroom with the toothbrush in his mouth.

"Booth we have to take Wendell to hospital. His fever is one hundred point five," Brennan explained.

"What is considered bad?"

"One hundred point four."

Booth grabbed his phone from the bedside cabinet and quickly dialled 911, "Yeah, I need an ambulance. My friend, he has a fever of one hundred point five. He's got cancer and is having chemotherapy."

_"Okay sir, can I have your location?"_

While Booth dealt with the call, Brennan tried to get Wendell's temperature down a bit by playing an ice pack on his forehead.

"Dr B?" he whispered.

"We need to take you to hospital Wendell. I just need to know if you are allergic to any medication."

"I don't know."

"Bones the ambulance is on the way," Booth said appearing in the doorway.

"Okay, I'll go with him to the hospital. Can you call his mother?"

"Yeah, do you need anything else?"

"Just meet the EMT downstairs and bring them up when they arrive. Oh and try to stop Christine coming in, I don't want her to worry."

"Okay." Booth rushed downstairs, opened the front door, and paced up and down the porch until he could hear the sirens approaching. One of the EMTs got out of the vehicle and opened the back to remove the stretcher. "He's upstairs, the door is open, and it's the blue room. My wife is with him so she can explain what is happening."

"Thank you."

Once Booth was sure that both EMTs were upstairs, he went to check if Christine was awake. Despite all the commotion, she was sleeping peacefully. He gently shook her awake and got her ready for day care, every so often peaking over into Parker's room.

"Booth, we're going now. They said it is a serious side effect of the chemotherapy," Brennan explained appearing in the doorway.

"Is he going to be okay?"

"We'll have to wait and see what the oncologist says. They might have to perform some more tests."

-o-

"We've managed get the fever down and I don't think it is anything to worry about. Often this is the case," the doctor explained. "He might need to stay for a couple of days just to regain some energy."

Brennan simply nodded, "Thank you." When the doctor left, Brennan turned to Wendell's bed where he was mumbling something under his breath. "Wendell, did you say something?"

"I said he needs to stop speaking as though I am not here," he replied.

"It might help if you had your eyes open."

"Good point."Wendell opened his eyes looking confused at his surroundings."Don't you have a case to work on?"

"Dr Edison will be fine on his own for a few hours. Booth called your mother to explain what happened."

"She's going to freak and say that I am moving back into her house."

"To be fair, Wendell you should not be living on your own when you are this sick. You don't need someone twenty-four seven but if you … if you fell unconscious and you were on your own or you could not get to the phone, you might not get to the hospital in time."

"Why would I fall unconscious?"

"Chemotherapy can cause anaemia."

"I'll eat more spinach then."

"It doesn't have to be with your mother. I know Philadelphia has a great oncology ward but it might be more convenient for you to stay with Dr Aberforth. If it means staying with Booth and me, or Angela and Hodgins then that is the way it is going to have to be. As Angela said last night, you need to have people worrying about you."

"Good point."

"You have said that already."

"I know."

Brennan smiled, "I'm going to get some coffee, do you want me to get you something?"

"No I'm fine." Brennan left the hospital room to go to the canteen. Regardless of Wendell's decline for anything, Brennan had grabbed him a sandwich as he hadn't had anything to eat since the previous night. When she returned, Wendell had fallen asleep; before she had the chance to sit down her phone rang.

"Brennan," she answered.

"_How's the patient?_" asked Booth.

"His fever is down. They are going to keep him in for a few days."

"_Does he still have to go through with the next chemo session?_"

"If he is going to survive this then yes."

"_Well his mother is on the way, also Angela may come later._"

"Okay, I'll stay with him until his mother arrives. He's asleep right now but that might be the drugs that they injected through his IV."

"_Any pain?_"

"He's asleep Booth."

"_Okay, fair point._"

"I'm going to change the subject because I keep hearing the word point. How is the case going?"

-o-

"Dr Hodgins, may I ask what you are doing?" asked Cam walking into Hodgins's office where she found many books on herbal remedies, biochemistry and oncology.

"I'm looking for the cure for cancer," Hodgins answered.

"While that sounds like a good idea, maybe you should be focusing on the case." Cam knew the reason why he thought finding the cure for cancer would be the best use of his time.

"The guy is already dead. Wendell is not and he has a chance."

"Okay, Dr Hodgins, I know that you are upset but there is no way you are going to find the cure for cancer now. The best experts still haven't found it."

"You see, this is why Dr Brennan and me exist. We are better than the experts. Remember when we bought Arastoo sometime when he had that virus."

"You bought him time, you didn't cure the virus. Also a virus is not the same as a mutated cell."

"You think I don't know that Cam!" Hodgins snapped.

"Excuse me?" Cam asked raising her eyebrows.

"Okay I am sorry. We found out last night. He called Dr Brennan because he was running a high fever."

"I know, Booth explained what happened when he dropped Christine at day care."

"What if it is worse than that? What if the cancer has spread and then he has about thirty percent chance of survival."

"This is not only about Mr Bray is it?"

"Well Zack is in a mental institution and Vincent died. I cannot lose another friend Cam. I have admitted to wanted to kill him in the past, but that was because of my jealousy of him being with Angela, not because he did anything wrong. Why him?"

"I don't know. Ewing's Sarcoma is a fault in a gene and no one can help that. I get what you are saying." Cam sat in the chair by the desk. "No one deserves to have cancer, but Wendell especially does not deserve to have it. I don't think I have ever seen such a hardworking, sweet intelligent person his age. There isn't anything we can do about it unfortunately. The best we can all do is ensure he is comfortable as he seeks treatment."

"I can get the spare room set up. He should not be on his own while going through this."

"That might be the best idea you have had all day. You can tell him yourself when you go and see him later."

* * *

**I was left a review saying I should have considered putting a spoiler message in the summary due to some people not seeing it yet. I do apologise to those people as I was being a little inconsiderate. I just assumed that most of the viewers (at least 85%) would have seen it by the time I published. I have changed the summary with the spoilers removed and put a disclaimer in. **

**Besides that, thank you for all those who have read the story, those who have taken their time to review and follow or favourite. I have planned an outline out for the story and there is 13 more chapters to go. X**


	3. I Could Move in With You

Chapter Three

"Can I help you ma'am?" asked the nurse at the triage desk.

"I'm looking for Wendell Bray. I think he might be on the oncology ward," the woman answered.

"One moment please." The nurse checked the computer to see all the patients on the ward. "Third floor, room 304."

"Thanks." The woman went to the elevator and tapped her foot as she waited for it to arrive and take her up to the third floor. Once she arrived on the third floor, she looked for the room until she spotted the room number. "Um, hi."

"Hello," Brennan replied.

"I'm Jamie, I'm Wendell's sister."

"Oh, hello. I'm Dr Brennan," Brennan said shaking the younger woman's hand. Brennan glanced over Jamie. She looked as though she was at least five feet five inches tall in her heeled boots, she had the same blue eyes as Wendell and had a similar shade of blonde. Unlike Brennan, who was dressed in her usual work clothes, Jamie had thrown on the first things she could find from her closet.

"Oh right, wow. I never thought I would meet the great Dr Temperance Brennan. I mean Wendell speaks very highly of you and I have heard of your reputation."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Your brother is a great person himself. Is your mother here because I will leave if she wants some privacy."

"No she's still on her way. I live in Arlington so it only takes half an hour. How is he?"

"I think it is just exhaustion."

"Right, is that the only thing wrong at the moment?" asked Jamie sitting in the chair beside the bed.

"His fever has gone down so the only thing he needs to do is sleep," Brennan explained. "So, what do you as an occupation?"

"I'm just a receptionist at a law firm. I was thinking about going to law school but you cannot imagine the money it would cost just to study."

"I imagine it would be hard especially with your family's economic circumstances."

"I think it's going to get worse what with all the medical bills."

"All Jeffersonian employees have some level of health care insurance, so I don't think it will be too bad."

"That is reassuring. Wendell said that is was you that spotted something wrong with his x-ray and that is how he got diagnosed. He said that if it wasn't for you then the cancer could have spread before it could be detected. You pretty much saved his life."

"I hope so. So are you Wendell's only sibling or…"

"I'm the youngest of four. Luke never strayed too far from home, my sister Jane got a scholarship to go to this fancy art school in New York, Wendell is there and then there is me. And people wondered why we struggled for money. Then again I was unexpected."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-four."

"I thought so. I can tell by your bone structure."

"Can you tell everything by looking at a person's bone structure?"

"I can tell where someone has descended from, I can tell ethnicity and I can tell where there are injuries that have been healed. Like the one on your left wrist. You seem to struggle to move it."

Jamie looked at her left wrist. It had been stiff since she was about ten but she could not afford to go to a physiotherapist to get it sorted, "When I was ten I was pushed down some stairs at school and my wrist was fractured. Some bullies had been pestering me for a while and I just ignored them until I was coming home nearly every day with some sort of bruise."

"What happened after that?"

"Wendell asked me why I looked like I had been in three boxing matches all at once, I lied that it was a gym lesson that got a little rough. Then I was pushed down the stairs. I was taken to hospital where I finally told him the truth. He then went to the principal's office and the bullies were expelled."

"He sounds like a good brother."

"You sound surprised."

"I can recommend a good physiotherapist for your wrist."

"Thanks but all my savings are trying to go towards law school."

Before Brennan could reply, her phone rang. "Sorry," she mimed. While Brennan spoke on the phone, Jamie looked at her brother and a small smile at the corner of her mouth. Wendell had always been there for her, mainly because Luke saw her as a pest and their dad died before she gained an interest in boys. She was always wondering when to return the favour; maybe now he was sick she had the chance to do that.

"I have to go back to the lab," said Brennan. "Will you be fine here?"

"Yeah I will be fine. It was nice meeting you Dr Brennan."

"It was nice meeting you too Miss Bray."

"Please just call me Jamie," Jamie smiled as Brennan left the hospital room. "Wendell, are you awake?"

"Sort of," he answered.

"How long have you been awake?"

"About five minutes."

"Do you need me to get the doctor or a nurse?"

"No," Wendell said sitting himself up. "How are you?"

"I' m good. When Luke called, it took me a few minutes to calm down before I could get in the car."

"I'm fine now it was just a fever that spiked too high. I mean how are you really feeling?"

"I'm fine. I am eating normally and the doctors said that I was fine."

"Okay good."

"You should not worry about me. I'm not the one with cancer. Just for once let me worry about you."

"Okay. Is that your sandwich?"

"No that was there when I came in. I think Dr Brennan got it for you." Wendell reached over to grab the sandwich, opened the box and gave one half to his sister while he ate the other half. "I'm surprised; the way you described Dr Brennan I thought she would be blunter."

"She's gotten better since my first day."

"Considering what she has done for you, I will be grateful to that woman for the rest of my life."

"I'm forever grateful to her as well."

"So are you still working towards this PhD?"

"It might keep my mind off the treatment so I may as well. I might be working a little as well."

"Is that a good idea what with the really disgusting dead bodies that turn up?"

"I have been at the job for five years so I think I can cope."

"But you are going through chemo and your gag reflex is messed up."

"Jamie I can cope. However, Dr Brennan thinks I need to have somebody with me while I am going through treatment. If it means moving in with her and Booth or Hodgins and Angela then it has to be done. They have kids though and they don't need another person to look after."

"I could move in with you," Jamie suggested.

"Why?"

"It's not like I have to make a two hour journey to work, I have no kids, and I have no responsibilities outside of work. I think I might be the perfect home nurse."

"If it is convenient for you then I suppose it might be a good idea."

-o-

Jamie had stepped out of Wendell's hospital room so she could get something to drink when she was approached by her eldest brother Luke.

"Where's mom?" she asked taking her coffee from the machine.

"She went to go and see Wendell as soon as we arrived. Is he okay?"

"Now he is. The nurses are keeping an eye on his temperature but that is the only thing that seems to be wrong with him at the moment."

"Has the doctor performed more tests?"

"Yeah. They have booked an MRI scan so they can check if the cancer has become metastatic."

"Meta-what?"

"To see if the cancer has spread."

"And then what?"

"I don't know. I suppose more chemo but the chemo he is receiving is supposed to be killing any cancer cells that have spread."

The pair walked back to the hospital room where their mother and Wendell were bickering over the fact that she wanted Wendell to move back in.

"Ma, I know you want to look after me but Jamie said she's going to move in with me. It seems to be the best option," Wendell explained.

Their mother looked at Jamie and her daughter nodded, "Mom, I only work twenty minutes away and it means that Wendell doesn't have to get transferred to another oncologist. I can drive him to appointments and I can reduce my hours because I all I do is answer phones. I'm not vital to the company so it doesn't matter if I am there or not."

"It doesn't sound like a bad idea," said Luke.

"I suppose if it is what has to be done," said their mother. "I do worry that the stress might be too much for you Jamie; you don't handle it well."

"Mom, I can cope with the stress much better. I work in a stressful environment. I'm twenty-four, not eleven and I have gotten over the stress issues. I can do this."

Behind his mother back, Wendell gave Jamie a thumbs up until she said "Okay, I have faith that you can do this."

"Right now that is sorted," Luke began, "when are you shaving your head?"

"Probably when I get out," Wendell answered shrugging.

"Did they say when?" asked his mother.

"Two days. They are just keeping me in for observation. I also need to go through another chemo session before I go home."

"And what if your fever spikes again?"

"They'll keep me in. Mom, it's fine. It's only happened once so I don't think it will get any worse."

"You cannot know that Wendell. I said the same thing about your dad then the next week they said it was terminal."

"We're not quite there yet so for now the best we can do is be optimistic," said Jamie.

"Just because Dad died of cancer it doesn't mean Wendell is," said Luke. "It isn't the same for everyone."

"Like I said Mom, I'll be fine. I do have cancer but I don't need to be coddled. Jamie is only there to make sure I get to hospital if something does go wrong. And before you panic Mom, I did say if."

"At least something good came out of your father's death. The fact you all seem optimistic. I just wish your sister was here to see you more."

"Well life should not stop just because I have cancer."


	4. Why Would I Need Counselling?

Chapter Four

"So this is all you do? You just sit for four hours as the radiation goes though your veins?" asked Hodgins when Wendell was getting set up with his drip.

"Yeah. It isn't so bad because I have Rick and Dirk to speak to," Wendell answered pointing to the two older men in the other chairs.

"So you finally told your friend that you have cancer," said Rick, who like Wendell was still in the early stages of treatment and still had his hair.

"You spoke about me?" asked Hodgins.

"What do you think we talk about? Mets and radiotherapy?" asked Dirk, who looked as though he was in the later stages of chemotherapy having lost any muscle he might have had and all his hair.

"No of course not," Hodgins answered. "So do you both have bone cancer as well or something else?"

"No I have stage three pancreatic cancer," answered Rick.

"Metastatic stomach cancer," said Dirk. "I've spent the last three months going through treatment."

"Is it working?" asked Hodgins.

"The tests haven't come back yet."

"Ah. So are you both married?"

"Yes, about twenty years with two kids," answered Dirk.

"I'm in a civil partnership," said Rick. "You married?"

"Yes and I have a child."

"Trust me we were surprised that Wendell was single. I mean if he cannot get a girl then there is no hope for the rest of the single population."

"I only broke up with someone about two months ago," said Wendell.

"Why what happened?" asked Rick. "Did she dump you because you had cancer?"

"No I only found out a month ago. It was because I couldn't see a future with her," Wendell explained. "I'm not sure she could cope now that I have cancer."

"Well, the last thing you want when you are going through this is to be alone," said Dirk.

"He won't be," said Hodgins. "My wife and I were going to ask if Wendell wanted to move in."

"Then my sister offered to move in. It seemed to be the most convenient option."

"Well she sounds like a sensible and sweet woman," said Dirk.

"Sensible is the operative word," said Wendell.

"Do you think she can cope?" asked Rick.

"I hope so because if she cannot cope then we're both screwed. It's just if there is a serious emergency."

"I should warn you that Sweets is coming to see you later," said Hodgins to Wendell. "I think he might want you to seek counselling or something."

"Counselling?" asked Wendell. "Why would I need counselling?"

"You can ask Sweets."

"Who is Sweets?" asked Rick.

"Dr Sweets is a psychologist who works with the FBI which is in partnership with the lab we work in," Wendell explained.

"He tends to butt his nose in a little too much," said Hodgins.

"It doesn't sound like a bad idea," said Dirk. "I tell my counsellor stuff I cannot tell my wife."

"I don't really know what I would talk about though," said Wendell.

"Nobody does, but it might be good for you. Even for one session."

-o-

_"_The majority of the samples for analysis were taken from ribs with new bone formation or non-pathological long bones, with only a few taken from TB affected vertebrae. Nineteen individuals were sampled from skeletal elements that did not show any pathological alteration, these samples including teeth from six individuals_,"_Wendell thought as he read his copy of the American Journal of Physical Anthropology. Cancer was no excuse for slaking on his studies, especially when he still owed a lot of money to both his neighbourhood and the student loans company. However, it was mainly so he could focus on something else rather than the side effects of the chemotherapy. The familiar feeling in the back of his throat kept happening but he held it back as much as he could.

"Hey, how are you doing?" asked Angela walking in.

"I feel a little sick to be honest," Wendell answered.

"I'm not surprised considering what you are reading."

"I have seen people get crushed up by the pin setter in a bowling alley. I think I can cope with them talking about tuberculosis in bones."

"Fair point. Sorry I didn't see you earlier; Brennan wanted me to go through something on the Angelatron. How does your arm feel?"

"It still needs a couple of weeks to mend though if it is either going to be amputated or the radius has to be replaced then I'm not sure it -" Wendell couldn't finish his sentence as he grabbed the bedpan and emptied the contents of his stomach into the bed pan. Angela rubbed his back until he stopped throwing up. "Sorry."

"I've seen worse. Don't worry about it Wendell; I'm sure if I was actually pregnant with your child you would have done the same. Do you need some water?" Wendell nodded and Angela grabbed some water off the bedside cabinet.

"Sorry have I interrupted something?" asked Sweets.

"No," answered Wendell. "I'm fine it's just the chemotherapy."

"I thought so. I would ask how you are feeling but I can see what my answer is."

"Sweets, he'll be fine in a minute. Why are you here?"

"Can I not see anyone?" Sweets asked.

"I don't know, but you seem to have some secret agenda, like you always do. Besides you rarely see Wendell outside of work social drinks."

"She's got a point," Wendell said putting the bedpan down.

"Okay, Wendell I have been thinking that you could do with some support from therapy."

"Hodgins was right," Wendell murmured.

"Pardon?"

"Nothing."

"It's one thing to have the support from your family and friends, but at some point you might become depressed and you cannot talk to anyone about your feelings in case they tell someone else."

"You seem a little to confidant about that," said Wendell.

"Well, I did a paper on the psychological effects of cancer having listened to at least one hundred people describe how they felt."

"Sweets, I'm not sure he needs to hear this right now," said Angela.

"Okay Angela, but I am going to say that most couldn't tell their loved ones how they felt emotionally. Physically is simple because they see it on the surface but unless you speak to someone no can know how you feel," Sweets said.

"Sweets, I appreciate the concern. Honestly. And one of the guys who I speak to during my chemo sessions says that a counselling session helps."

"Okay, good," said Sweets nodding his head.

"The thing is that I don't want to do it with you."

"Um…"

"I don't think I've seen you this dumbfounded Sweets since Brennan told said she was pregnant with Booth's baby," said Angela. The memory caused a laugh to escape from both Angela and Wendell's lips. "You are not going to faint are you."

"No," answered Sweets rolling his eyes.

"Look, it's no offence to you, but it is easier for me to talk to someone that I am not going to see outside of the sessions," Wendell explained.

"Also you are going to psychoanalyse him every time you see him anyway," said Angela.

"I understand Wendell. I can suggest some counsellors who are specialised in supporting cancer patients; however your oncologist might have already given some cards to you."

"I think he might have."

"Okay, well when you get discharged tomorrow you can go through them," said Angela. "Sweets, I kind of want to speak with Wendell alone."

"I understand. You two were in a relationship and -"

"Out," Angela said firmly. Sweets held his hands up to say sorry and left the room. "It will be good for you to speak to a professional. They might be able to cope with your mood swings."

"What makes you say that I am going through mood swings?" asked Wendell.

"I know it will not be the same for everyone, but I went on some websites, just so I knew what to expect. The reason I said you didn't need to hear the emotional effects was because I didn't want to think of you that way."

"You might as well say it if I am going to experience."

"You might go through depression, you might lack confidence, and you might have guilt and anxiety."

"Yeah, that is going to suck." Angela smiled a little. She really didn't want to see someone as happy, as confidant as Wendell become a complete shell of himself. He seemed to be okay now but it could take only one thing to make him crack and that was not something to look forward to seeing.

"I got you a present," Angela said rummaging in her bag. "I was going to give it to you when I came in but then you threw up and then Sweets came in. I remember when we were dating and we had day where we just spent the whole day in my apartment; I bought food to eat and you really liked this dark chocolate and it took me forever to remember the brand but I found it."

Angela presented a large slab of chocolate to Wendell and he smiled brightly, "Thanks Ange."

"It's okay. I just thought you could do with something to make you feel better."

"Well, I think you have succeeded."

* * *

**DISCLAIMER NOTE: The article that Wendell was reading is a genuine article in the most recent issue (Feb 2014) of the American Journal of Physical Anthropology. It was written by Romy Müller, Charlotte A. Roberts, Terence A. Brown and the full title is 'Bimolecular identification of ancient ****_Mycobacterium tuberculosis_**** complex DNA in human remains from Britain and continental Europe'. Any Anthropology students or anyone who is interested, I found it by typing into Google 'American Journal of Anthropology', and found the most recent issue (when I wrote this). I found it for free so you have no worries. **


	5. The Cancer Has Spread?

Chapter Five

"Miss Bray, may I have a word with you?" asked Dr Aberforth coming into Wendell's hospital room.

"Sure," Jamie answered. "Is it about the scan?"

"Yes. Your brother appears to have metastasises on his left lung."

"The cancer has spread? I thought the chemo was going to stop that."

"They look to have been there prior to treatment. They're small though."

"His odds have shrunk though."

"The thing is when the cancer has spread to lung, the odds are not as low as if it had spread to his liver for example."

"Our father died of lung cancer. Do you see why I have to worry?"

"I understand, but as I said the treatment is working."

"Thanks for the news I guess." The oncologist left the room while Jamie sighed. "Well this sucks."

"What does?" Wendell asked walking out of the bathroom fully dressed.

"The doctor said that … The cancer has spread to your left lung. It was there before you even had treatment."

"Brilliant," Wendell murmured sarcastically. "I cannot wait to tell Mom."

"We are not telling Mom. This could break her. As far as she knows you still have stage two Ewing's Sarcoma."

"You do know that you are nuts right."

"I know but if the treatment continues then you should be fine in a couple of months. So there isn't anything to worry about."

"Jamie, think about it, my odds of long-term survival have shrunk."

"Well, we'll think about that when we get there. Right now, we are going back to your place. Come on."

When they got to Jamie's car, Wendell said, "I need to tell work though. If something happens, they could find out that I have mets on my lung."

"I never said you could not tell anyone, just Mom. And Luke because he will blab," Jamie said starting the car.

"Well, as soon as I am back at the apartment I am going to work."

"No you are not. You've only just got out of the hospital. The nurses said you need at least a week's rest."

"But-"

"No buts mister," Jamie said holding her finger up.

"At this point I think I may as well live with Mom. Look, I won't actually be working, I'll just be hanging about. I cannot stay in the apartment for the rest of the day."

"Okay. I need to get some food because I think the fruit and vegetables in the apartment have gone off. I'll drop you off at the Jeffersonian because there is no point in going back just to go out again."

-o-

"Mr Bray what are you doing here?" asked Cam walking up to him.

"I just wanted to hang out. Hodgins said that you have just finished a case so I think the most that needs going is the paperwork," Wendell answered. "I also need to tell everybody something."

"Is it about your illness?" Wendell nodded. "Okay, I'll gather everyone in the seating area."

Ten minutes later, Cam had gathered Brennan, Angela, Hodgins, Booth, and Sweets in the seating area and Wendell had dropped the bomb.

"Did they not to think to check that you had this before you went into treatment?" asked Booth.

"At that point they just focused on the bone," answered Wendell. "The mets are small."

"Okay so you are getting worse?" asked Hodgins.

"They were there before so the situation has not gotten any better or any worse," Brennan answered. "It's too soon to tell."

"How do you feel?" Angela asked.

"Surprised to be honest."

"But your father died of lung cancer, does that scare you?" asked Sweets.

"Of course it does Sweets. If your parents died of cancer and then you got it then you would worried."

"Will they have to change the dose of the chemo?" asked Angela.

"No," Cam answered. "The dose they were giving Wendell was so that the chemicals could kill any cancer cells that had spread. Have you told your mother yet?"

"No, and I am not going to tell her."

"Wendell you have to tell her," said Booth.

"Booth is right, if Christine was ill I would want to know everything," said Brennan.

"I know Dr B but as Sweets said, my dad had lung cancer. If I tell her that I have metastasises on my lung, she's going to think that I am going to die," Wendell explained. "My only question is am I going to be able to keep my job here?"

"Of course you are," said Brennan.

"However, you are going to have to work part-time and I will have another intern helping you," said Cam. "It is not because I do not have faith in your abilities because you have cancer, I just want someone watching you in case."

"In case of what?" asked Hodgins.

"Dr Hodgins, I think we need to talk alone," said Cam. Once they were in Cam's office, Cam explained, "Wendell is going through a very aggressive chemotherapy treatment."

"Thanks for stating the obvious."

"Over the six months, he's going to be very sick and it won't be the cancer, it will be the treatment. He's going to be weak, very fatigued, he might have dizzy spells and bouts of nausea. I didn't want to tell him all this because I didn't want him to think I did not trust him on his own because he cannot help it."

"He's not going to be the same person after this is he?"

"I would be surprised if he was Dr Hodgins. Right now he needs us more than ever."

Unbeknownst to them, Wendell was standing outside the door, overhearing their conversation.

-o-

"Okay I have cleared out most of the processed crap out of your cupboards," Jamie said when Wendell came back into his apartment looking rather glum. "What is up with your face?"

"This treatment is going to make me feel worse than the cancer itself."

"I thought you knew that going in. You saw it happen with Dad. You saw how sick he got towards the end."

"I know, but even if I do survive this, I'm not going to be the same person. What if I cannot work or play hockey again?"

"You know that won't happen."

"It could happen."

"I flipped through the cards the oncologist and Dr Sweets gave you for the counsellors and I did some research. I narrowed it down to three: Dr Drake, Dr Thatcher, and Dr Clarke. You need to choose one and book a session."

"I'll just do eeny, meeny, miny, moe."

"Fine, I have to keep an eye on this chicken broth." Wendell closed his eyes and placed his finger on one of the cards: Dr Emma Clarke.

Wendell grabbed the phone and dialled the number, "Hi can book a session with Dr Clarke please."

_"Certainly sir, I can book you in for tomorrow at twelve. May I have your name?"_

"Wendell Bray."

_"Okay that is all done for you. I shall see you tomorrow."_

"Thank you." Wendell hung up the phone. "Tomorrow, noon."

"Okay, I'll drive you there tomorrow."

"Well, this Dr Clarke had better be good."

"As long as she is someone you can talk to."


	6. Are You Dr Clarke?

Chapter Six

The waiting room looked like a hotel lobby, or it certainly looked nicer than the more clinical looking waiting rooms than Wendell was used to. It reminded him of the Hoover building with its earth tones everywhere.

Wendell had spent the previous night looking up Dr Clarke's profile on the internet, almost doing a background check on her credentials: went to Columbia University, Postgrad at Stanford and had her PhD from Harvard. He thought it was the standard education that he could never have due to the money.

"Mr Bray, Dr Clarke will see you now," said the receptionist.

Wendell got up and knocked on the door opposite his seat. "Come in," a voice said from behind the door. Wendell opened the door where he found an African-American woman, around his age sitting at the computer.

"Are you Dr Clarke?" he asked.

"Yes, are you Mr Bray?" she asked turning her chair around to face him.

"I am." Wendell took a seat on the couch. "I'm not too sure where to start?"

"Well, just give some basic personal details about yourself. Just so I know a little about you," Dr Clarke said sitting in the chair directly opposite to the couch.

"Okay, I'm Wendell Bray. I'm twenty-nine, though my birthday is next week. I'm the third of four children. My father died of lung cancer when I was fifteen but my mom lives in Philadelphia. I work in Medico-Crime lab at the Jeffersonian; I'm working on a doctorate for Anthropology. I'm single – recently single. I also have stage three Ewing's Sarcoma with metastasises on my left lung."

"Ah, now I know why you are here. How long have you known about the cancer?"

"About a month, though I only found out about my lung yesterday."

"Are you going through chemotherapy?"

"I wouldn't be wearing a hat indoors if I wasn't. I'm going to shave my head at some point in the next week, though I could just get my friend Hodgins to do it."

"Hodgins sounds like a strange name."

"It's his surname. Everyone refers to him by his surname, even his wife. We all work together so we spend a lot of our time with each other. He's a good friend."

"How did he react when you told him you had cancer?"

"I didn't. I didn't tell him or Angela – his wife – for a few weeks. Then last week I started to have a fever and I was sick so I called my mentor Dr Brennan as it was only her and her husband who knew. Her husband told them and Dr Brennan brought me back to her house where Hodgins and Angela were having dinner. Angela looked as though she had been crying, and Hodgins looked shocked. We talked about it until I felt tired. He seemed fine to my face but I do not know how he is really reacting."

"So you told your mentor but not your friend?"

"Dr Brennan is my friend but I didn't tell her, she told me. I had broken my arm during a hockey game. I play with her husband Agent Booth and he showed her a video of when my arm broke. The injury did not match what happened on the ice so she pulled my x-ray and found that I had Ewing's Sarcoma."

"How did you react to her telling you?"

"Disbelief at first. I thought it seemed too ironic, but questioning Dr Brennan would be like questioning Jesus. It was when the oncologist confirmed the diagnosis that I actually believed this was happening. You want to know what I was really thinking?"

"Yes."

"I thought about my dad. I thought about how sick he was towards the end and it wasn't even the cancer. All the chemo had made him weak, tired all the time, he had frequent dizzy spells and he kept throwing up. I was scared and I wondered whether it was worth going through treatment."

"What made you change your mind?"

"Out there is life that I haven't led yet. If I don't fight for it then I will never know what will happen. I could finish my studies, get a permanent job at the Jeffersonian and then maybe I'll meet a woman."

"You said you were single. Do you have anyone looking after you?"

"My little sister Jamie."

"Not your mother?"

"She's looking after my niece Amy while my brother and my sister-in-law are at work, and my uncle had dementia so she looks after him because he has no one else."

"I take it your mother didn't take it too well."

"She cried. I mean if your son was diagnosed with cancer nearly fifteen years after your husband died would you?"

"I guess. My husband is still alive but if he died and then if we had a child who got diagnosed with a similar illness then I would be distraught. How did your other siblings take it?"

"Well, Luke has this thing where he uses humour as a defence mechanism, which is how I realised how ironic this cancer is. I don't know how Jane reacted because my mother told her and Jamie … honestly I was more worried about how she would react."

"How so?"

"When … When my father died, Jamie was ten and she didn't know how to deal with it. Six months later she fell down the stairs and I took her to the hospital. She was suffering from a severe iron deficiency and had lost at least twenty pounds."

"She had an eating disorder?"

"They said it was Food Avoidance Emotional Disorder. The hint was that she knew she was too skinny and she wanted to gain weight. It started when Dad died so I think the shock and grief caused her to affect her eating habits."

"This went on for six months and no one noticed anything?"

"She puts on a brave face most of the time and she ate her dinner, it was because she was skipping breakfast and lunch."

"Has she relapsed since?"

"No. I think school kept her occupied and once we got her weight back up, she seemed much happier. She was shocked when I told her I had cancer but I think she is trying to focus on looking after me. It gives me a little more incentive to fight this illness just so I know she is okay. She's the person I care for the most."

"You sound like you have a good relationship. How is she coping with the side effects of the chemo?"

"Honestly she only moved in this week. I got out the hospital yesterday because my fever was too high where she said she was going to move in. It's convenient because she works in Arlington. How I feel about the side effects? I knew what to expect going into the treatment but even if I survive this I am not going to be the same person."

"I would be surprised if you were. Surviving cancer is like surviving a trip in the arctic with no food; the recovery is a marathon and not a sprint. It's long, exhausting and sometimes certain wounds don't heal but it doesn't have to be a solitary distance run. You have your family and friends helping you and they need to help you until you feel as though you have recovered."

"That depends if I can recover from this Dr Clarke."


	7. To Thirty

Chapter Seven

"I'm beginning to think this is a bad idea," said Hodgins holding the electric razor with Wendell in the chair.

"Either way I am going to lose my hair," Wendell said. "You may as well just do it."

"What if you have some weird birthmark under your hair?"

"I've checked the photo's of me when I was younger, I do not have anything under my hair."

"Okay, we're just going to do it. Like ripping off a band aid." Hodgins turned on the razor and quickly glided it over the top of Wendell's head. "You don't mind having a maw hawk do you?"

"I would actually."

"Okay." Hodgins continued shave the hair, not entire sure about the direction of the cut. "I think it looks good."

"You've left patches all over my head Hodgins."

"It can be a good look for you."

"Cam wants to know if you have finished looking at the – Hodgins what have you done?" asked Angela coming into the office.

"He asked me to do it," Hodgins replied.

"Why does he have a bunch of patches over his head?"

"It's called style Angie."

"This coming from your husband," Wendell commented.

"Why could you have not gone to the barber shop?"

"Why couldn't we have gone to the barber shop?" asked Hodgins.

"It's done now so you may as well finish this," said Wendell.

"Hodgins hand me the razor before you end up cutting his ear off," said Angela. Hodgins handed the razor to Angela who went straight to fixing the mess he had made on Wendell's head. "It's going to be really weird seeing you with no hair."

"I know, but I still have my hat," said Wendell.

"You're going to be sweating like hell in the summer," said Hodgins.

"I'm sweating like hell now so there isn't much of a difference."

"Okay, I think I am nearly done," Angela said inspecting the front hairline. "I just need to get those bits at the front off and then Hodgins can clean up the mess."

"Why do I have to clean it up?"

"You don't have cancer. I could shave your hair if you want Hodgins. Share the pain to support your friend."

"Doesn't sound like a bad idea," said Wendell. "You'd look a bit weird though."

"Thanks," Hodgins replied sarcastically.

"He has got a point though," said Angela. Angela's phone vibrated in her pocket and she read the text message.

_JAMIE BRAY: Decorations are done. I just need to drive to the store and cook the food._

_ANGELA MONTENEGRO: Okay, we'll meet you later. _

"Who was that?" asked Wendell.

"Just Booth asking me to send the reconstruction over to the FBI. Right, I am done and to be honest you do not look too bad."

"Thanks Angela," said Wendell taking a look in the mirror.

"No problem, at least with me you would not be walking around with polka dots on your head." Angela gave Hodgins a wink.

"Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to come round to watch the game later. Booth is coming so we can have a guys night in."

"Then what is Angela doing?"

"I'm going to Brennan's for a movie night where I try to enjoy the movie while she becomes the talking IMDb page for the movie."

"Okay, I think Jamie is planning something important so I may as well get out of her way for a few hours."

-o-

A few hours later, Wendell, Angela and Hodgins walked into the Hodgins residence to be greeted by Booth, Brennan, Sweets, Cam, Jamie and the other interns shouting, "Surprise!"

While stunned, Wendell immediately saw the large banner that said 'Happy Birthday' in giant blue letters. "Wow, guys. I don't really know what to say. Thanks," said Wendell unsure what to do.

"Well, we thought that you only turn thirty once that you deserve a party," said Booth.

"And it could be your last birthday," said Fisher. Everyone looked a little stunned at the bluntness of the statement. Brennan gave him a very disapproving shake of her head, the same she would give Christine when the toddler had done something naughty. "Sorry."

"Okay now that awkward moment has been shattered, can we get the drinks in?" asked Cam.

"Yes," said Wendell going to sit on the couch. "Whose idea was this anyway?"

"Mine, I thought that you could do with something to celebrate," answered Jamie sitting beside him. "By the way that guy who said –"

"Don't worry that is normal behaviour from him. He might have a point."

"Still, no need to put a damper on things."

"I think Dr B might kill him tomorrow so I think it might be best to put it behind for now."

"Well, take off your hat and grab something. I spent ages cooking that party food."

"Yeah, I am not too sure about removing the hat."

"Why?" Wendell lifted a bit of his hat up to reveal his now-bare head. "Jesus now you really do look like Dad."

"Yeah, that is what I thought. So why did you plan the party for today, my birthday is not until next week."

"Because we will be at Mom's next week and I thought you would like to spend some time with your friends before then."

"Fair enough."

"As Agent Booth said, you only turn thirty once."

"To thirty."

* * *

**Sorry this seems a little late but I have just started a new semester at university so it has been a little hectic. I will try to update as much as I can, however I think my first assignment is being assigned this week, and I also have to writing up lecture notes and do seminar reading and work. Fun, fun, fun. **

**This story has been planned out so I shouldn't get writers block preventing me from being able to write this. **


	8. Those Exact Words

Chapter Eight

Wendell was on his tenth chemotherapy session. He had lost quite a bit of weight, mainly due to his lack of appetite and the nausea. The doctor had told him to try to keep his weight stable as it would aid his recovery better. The most they had said that is was muscle that was lost, but was still a concern to his doctor and to Jamie, who had been pushing him to eat something light to help settle his stomach.

"Keep drinking liquids; they're easier to tolerate," Rick suggested.

"I cannot survive on liquids for the next four months," said Wendell.

"Not just liquids, you could just have a glass of milk with your meal."

"Where's Dirk?"

"He got transferred to The Washington Home."

"Where?"

"It's a hospice. He is now terminal."

"What?"

"Yeah, that is what we all said. They said that the chemo had failed." The colour practically drained from Wendell's face. Those exact words kept running through his mind. Over and over again.

"Christ," he whispered.

-o-

"Are you okay Wendell, you seem very quiet?" asked Dr Clarke. Wendell had been sitting in her office for the last ten minutes and the most they had talked about was minor conversation.

"I just had a round of chemo."

"Do you need to lie down or need a bucket?"

"No, I'm fine for the moment. It's just that I have gotten a bit of a shock. A guy who I have – had - chemo with is in a hospice. They said that the chemo has failed."

"Oh right. Were you close?"

"Sort of, I met his wife and we talked a lot about our lives."

"It seems like there is something else other than the shock."

"They said the chemo failed. That's what my father told Mom about three months before he died. Those exact words."

"Oh right. I suppose that makes it harder to comprehend. How do you know your father said those words, because it sounds as though you were not in the room?"

"I wasn't. It was after lights out but I went to get a drink however I overheard my parents talking so I just sat on the stairs and listened to the conversation."

"How did you feel when you heard that the chemo had failed?"

"Disbelief, then I was angry that the chemo had failed. I could not accept it and I didn't until at least a week before he finally died."

"You were fifteen. Usually it would be easier to contemplate a parent dying if you are much younger – maybe younger than your sister was at the time – mainly due to the lack of understanding of what death is."

"I suppose that makes sense. That was always my biggest regret. The fact that I spent so much time denying he was going to die that I forgot to spend some time with him." Wendell was beginning to very upset, mainly at the memories.

"How did you realise that he was going to die?"

"I can't remember. I think I just accepted it because at that time it was the best thing I could do for him."

"Wendell, it wasn't your fault that you couldn't accept that your father was dying."

"It doesn't mean that I should have wasted time when I could have spent time with him. Why am I even wasting time with the treatment?"

"You answer me. You told me the answer a few weeks back."

"Because there is a life out there for me."

"Wendell what life do you want, other than being cancer free?"

"It doesn't matter what order it goes but to get my doctorate, meet a woman, ask her to marry me and have a child, or two. I would like two kids. That might not happen though." The tears began to well in his eyes and Dr Clarke handed him a box of tissues.

"You don't know that Wendell."

"I don't know if I will live or not, let alone have kids. And what if I cannot give her kids and she wanted them badly? Does she leave me?"

"You haven't even met the woman yet. Don't think about things that have not happened yet."

"You're right, but I can be right as well."

"Do you think the reason you are upset is because you are scared of dying? You've just found out that a fellow cancer patient is now terminal and you might be frightened that you might die."

"What do you think Dr Clarke?"

"I think yes."

"To be honest, I don't really know how to feel."


	9. Planning His Funeral

Chapter Nine

Wendell wasn't sure about what hat he should wear to Dirk's funeral. He didn't have a black hat, only the navy blue he always wore. It could match the shirt that he planned on wearing under the suit, but he it was not as though anyone would care what he looked like as long as he looked respectful.

"Do you really need the hat?" asked Hodgins. "It's not as though people are going to judge you for having cancer."

"My head gets cold," answered Wendell.

"Well, I do have a black hat if you think it is more suitable."

"Thanks," said Wendell looking down at his shoes. "Just so you know you can wear what you want for my funeral. Don't even bother with the formality for me."

"Hey, you are not going anywhere yet."

"You don't know that. Besides, that is if I live past this as well or if I die of this. Though I think dying would be less painful at this point."

"Don't think like that. You have more to live for."

"So did my dad and so did Dirk."

"Hey just because two people you knew died of cancer doesn't mean that you will."

"My odds are thirty percent Hodgins."

"So. People who undergo surgery to remove their appendix is a ninety nine point nine nine percent survival rate. Yet some people die."

"That is due to a fault on the doctor's part. It wasn't the appendix that killed them."

"Do you see my point though? There are people who survive cancer with only five percent. Odds mean nothing unless you are a gambler and you are no gambler Wendell." Wendell didn't say anything but went to sort his tie out. "When are they doing another test?"

"Tomorrow. Bone and MRI scan."

"Do you need me to come with you?"

"Jamie said she would be there. You have work to do."

"Just paperwork. I'm sure Cam will survive another day without it."

"It's fine Hodgins. I just need you to come to this funeral today and then Monday I am all yours."

"Okay."Hodgins was beginning to worry about Wendell. The last few weeks he had been rather down and he was struggling with the diet the doctors had put him on to gain back some of the weight he had lost, and not the talk of him dying was now making Hodgins and everyone else concerned. "You ready to go?"

Wendell nodded and grabbed the black hat. As soon as they arrived at the church, Wendell began to remember his own father's funeral. He and his brother carried the coffin into the church, the priest spoke a lot and then the curtain closed for the cremation. It all went a little fast much to Wendell's surprise.

Then as soon as the vicar started speaking, Wendell began to imagine his own funeral. Family sitting at the front, his mother and sisters crying while his brother tried to hold back the tears. Hodgins trying to comfort Angela, while Brennan tried to suppress her emotions and failing to do so, Booth trying to stay strong, Cam would be very upset and Sweets … Wendell wouldn't know how Sweets would be at his funeral; they hadn't really hung out enough for Wendell to make a judgement. Then there were the other interns, silently mourning the loss of their college, some showing their emotions more than others. For some reason he imagined a shadow – a feminine looking shadow – also at his graveside, crying with two smaller shadows. The life he could have had.

He wondered if his fantasy wife would have made a speech about Wendell, just as Dirk's wife had done. Would his mother put on a brave face like the one she did at his father's funeral? Would Luke, Hodgins and Booth carry his coffin into the church? It was not too soon to plan his own funeral. Especially if the tests he was having tomorrow showed that he was terminal.

-o-

"Are you nervous?" asked Jamie while she and her brother were waiting for the nurse to call Wendell in for the MRI scan.

"If nervous is feeling like I am going to throw up then yeah," Wendell answered. "This is going to determine whether or not I am dying."

"I don't think that is going to be the case Wendell."

"The last time I had an MRI, they found mets on my lungs. I expect they find mets on my liver or my brain."

"Ever the optimist."

"Wendell Bray?" asked the nurse. Wendell got out of his seat and Jamie followed into a room where Wendell was told to change into a gown. "Okay Wendell you need to lie down and your sister can stay just there. You need to keep very still so that the MRI can do its work." The machine started moving and Wendell would not let go of his sister's hand, as though he wouldn't come out of the machine alive. "Mr Bray you need to keep your hands inside."

Wendell let go of Jamie's hand and breathed to try to relax himself and the scan did its job. The bright red cross appeared across his chest, targeting both his lungs, then targeting his lower body, specifically his liver, stomach and kidneys.

After about half an hour, the machine started moving again and he was set free from the machine.

"Thank god that is over," he said getting out.

"We just need to do a bone scan and a biopsy," said the nurse.

"And then you can get some candy after," said Jamie.

"Really? I'm not ten," said Wendell.

"Someone has to be your mother."

"Mom is my mother."

"Speaking of which when are you going to call her? I'm tired of being your go between."

"When I get the results. I don't want her to worry."

"You say that all the time. She really wants to speak to you. The less you speak to her, the more worried she is going to get."

"Jamie I will call her."

"Okay, don't get so snappy."

"I'm sorry Jamie. I just find it hard to talk to Mom nowadays."

"You don't find it hard to talk to me, and I suffered just as badly as Mom when Dad died."

"You live with me, there is a difference."

"Right, come on the nurse needs to biopsy your left radius."

-o-

"Honestly Mom, I don't know what to do. I'm worried about Wendell. Since he got told that his friend was terminal he seems to be depressed."

_"Well it doesn't surprise me. Your father went through it. Started planning his funeral before the doctors even told him he was dying."_

"Speaking of which, I think he might have started planning his own funeral. I found will and funeral planning kits under the coffee table."

_"Oh no."_

"Mom, I am going to put him on the phone so he can talk to you. That is if I can find him."

_"What do you mean if you can find him?"_


	10. Hardly a Good Christian

Chapter Ten

Wendell had been driving around for at least an hour before he finally stopped in front of a church. Just a random church outside the city. He wasn't even sure what he was doing, he just needed some time to think. Think about why he couldn't talk to his mother. Why he was thinking about his funeral.

Wendell turned off the engine and locked up the car before going into the church. While his mother had brought him up a Christian, Wendell never really went to church after he left home though a part of him still believed in God. He wanted to think that his father went to a place better than Earth. It gave him some peace.

Walking up the aisle, it seemed so dark and cold, even though it was nearing April. He always remembered the church back home being freezing even in the middle of the summer. He sat in the front row and immediately interlocked his hands, bowing his head.

"I know that I am hardly the perfect Christian. I've had sex out of wedlock, I get lustful thoughts, I am sometimes arrogant. I don't pray a lot. Honestly, I don't deserve anything. However, I need to speak with you. I'm frightened. I'm depressed. I'm worried for my sisters, my brother and my mother. Even if I am cleared for surgery, there is still a chance the chemo could fail. To be honest, I don't know what to do."

Wendell sat in silence, hoping for a sign to let him know what to do. However, nothing happened. He was not surprised. He knew talking to someone who didn't usually respond, unless they were Moses, was really pointless.

"Can you just do me one favour? If I die, make sure that someone takes care of my family."

Wendell got out of his seat and walked back to his car. As soon as he got behind the wheel, he let out a yell of frustration and smacked his hands against the steering wheel. Breathing in and out, he calmed down and grabbed his phone. Ten missed calls from Jamie, five from his mother. He should really call Jamie to tell her that he was okay and that he was not dying in a ditch. Scrolling through his contacts, he came across Dr Clarke's number. Maybe she could answer some of his question.

He hit dial and waited for her to answer.

_"Hello?" _

"Dr Clarke, it's me, Wendell Bray."

_"Wendell, um … It's eight in the evening. Are you okay?"_

"Not really. I just don't really know what to do."

_"You don't know what to do about what?"_

"I think I have accepted that I am going to die. I mean I wake up every morning and look at myself in the mirror and each day I look as though I am closer to death."

_"Wendell, I think this is an effect of the treatment and the fact your friend has just died. Have you spoken to your sister?"_

"No. I think I am depressed though."

_"It's kind of normal to feel depressed."_

"I've also started planning my funeral."

_"Have you heard from the doctor?"_

"No I had the tests today. I just expect the prognosis to be bad."

_"You don't know that."_

"I have metastatic Ewing's Sarcoma. Dirk had metastatic stomach cancer. It doesn't say much about my chances."

_"Wendell, do you even talk to your family about this?"_

"I can't because I don't want to worry my mother."

_"So she has no one to talk to and it does not help that her son refuses to talk to her, especially when he is the one she has to worry about."_

"I've been kind of a dick to my own mother haven't I?"

_"I think that you just wanted to protect her, however in doing that you neglected her."_

"Okay, I'm not sure if I feel better after this. I think I know what I need to do though. Thank you."

_"As I said during our first meeting, recovery is not something that you should go through alone. It's not easy."_

-o-

"Where have you been?" asked Jamie when Wendell walked through the door.

"Church," Wendell answered.

"Wendell, you haven't been the church in nearly twelve years."

"Just give me the phone so I can call Mom."

"Gee, sorry I worried you Jamie and made you think that I had topped myself," Jamie said sarcastically. "Sorry, I just had Mom panicking down the phone because I said that you had gone out without telling where you were going."

Jamie gave him the phone and Wendell dialled his mother's number. "Hey Mom."

_"Oh my God, where were you?"_

"Church. I might have had a bit of a breakdown, or I'm still going through it. I'm not entirely sure which it is yet."

_"Oh honey. How are you feeling?"_

"I feel sort of better. I called my counsellor and she called me out for not speaking to you as much as I should have. I am basically doing the same thing to you that I did to Dad before he died."

_"Well, I am not dying so there is a difference Wendell."_

"Good point. How are you Ma?"

_"Me? Seriously?"_

"Yeah, I mean what is going on with you besides worrying about me."

_"Honestly, there isn't much to say. I look after Amy when she is done with school, I go to church every week, still thanking for the scholarship you and your sister got. I go to the cancer support group every week though."_

"A cancer support group? You never went to one when Dad was ill."

_"I was looking after your father then. I don't have you here to look after. It's for parents who has children with cancer. It sounds silly considering that you are thirty and the majority do have kids under eighteen, but there are two mothers who have children in their twenties. It's just so I have someone to talk to. I cannot really talk to your brother about it because you know what he is like."_

"I do. I never knew. However, I need to actually talk to you to find out anything. Mom, I should have told you this when I found out. I'm not stage two, I'm stage three. The cancer spread to my lung." Wendell heard the phone drop to the floor. "Mom are you okay?"

_"Sorry, what do you mean the cancer spread to your lungs?"_

"It was there when I go diagnosed. I'm sorry, I should have told you. I just didn't want you to worry. I'm an idiot. The one thing I need to ask is whether you can come to the doctor's appointment when the results come in. I think I need the extra support."

_"Of course I will."_

"Thanks Ma. I do love you, even though I don't say it enough."

_"I love you too Wendell."_


	11. A Trip to Where?

Chapter Eleven

"Dr Aberforth will be with you in a moment. Do you need anything?" asked the nurse. It was the appointment where Wendell would get the results of the scan and his mother and sister had come for support.

"I'm fine, thank you," Wendell answered.

"You don't need a drink?"

"I'll have a coffee if you are offering," said Jamie.

"Coffee? Now?" asked Wendell.

"It calms my nerves."

"You would not mind getting me one too," asked Mrs Bray.

"Okay. I will go and get the coffee."

"Actually I could do with some," said Wendell.

"Preference?"

"Milk, two sugars. For all three of us."

The nurse left the room before Mrs Bray said, "We should have asked how long he was going to be."

"I doubt it would be long Mom," said Jamie.

"I just want to know."

"So do I."

"Okay, can we not start arguing?" asked Wendell.

"Sorry."

"It's okay, I think the nerves are getting the better of us," said Wendell. The door opened and the oncologist came into the office. "Morning Dr Aberforth."

"If you can bear with me a moment, I am sorry to keep you waiting. I just need to pull the scans up on my computer. How have you been?"

"Okay I guess."

"Well, Mr Bray. We have good news. The cancer is responding to the chemo and you have no longer got mets on your lungs." The three let out a sigh of relief though there was still a question.

"The bad news?" asked Jamie.

"There isn't any." Dr Aberforth turned his laptop around and showed the bone scan. "As you can see the lesions on the bone have shrunk, so it means that we can progress to removing the radius."

"That's good right?" asked Mrs Bray.

"This is good. I can book you in with Dr Jensen who is this hospital's best orthopaedic surgeon for next week. Then we proceed to the radiation and then finally more chemo."

"Okay," said Wendell. "Is that all?"

"That will be all."

"Okay, I have your coffee," said the nurse coming into the office.

-o-

"So when do you have your surgery?" asked Hodgins when he and Wendell were on Hodgins's porch having a few beers.

"Next Wednesday," Wendell answered.

"Scared?"

"Well, every surgery has its risks."

"True. Well, Cam has given me some time off this weekend, and Booth has some time off as well. We could all go on a trip, maybe to take your mind off the surgery."

"A trip to where? I cannot exactly go abroad at the moment."

"I would say Vegas but Booth … Then again he went to Vegas before and he was fine."

"Well it sounds like a plan. Though if it ends up like the Hangover then we are leaving."

"I doubt we will be that immature to leave you on the roof for twenty-eight hours. Are you sure your mother would let you come?"

"It might take some – a lot – of convincing, however, she might see my point."

"Okay, let's have look for hotels." Hodgins grabbed his laptop and searched around Google for hotels in Las Vegas. "Okay, there is a hotel that is three hundred dollars for two nights."

"That each?"

"Yeah."

"Anything cheaper?"

"Wendell, I am paying for this. You need to have break, gamble, sleep with the first woman who talks to you. You deserve this, just call it a late birthday present."


	12. How Long Has He Been Out

Chapter Twelve

"So are we ready to go to the casino?" asked Hodgins when he put on his jacket.

"What am I supposed to do while you two gamble?" asked Booth.

"Who said I was gambling?" asked Wendell.

"There is a bar at the casino you know."

"Funnily enough there are bars at home as well," said Booth. "We're in Vegas."

"You're a gambling addict."

"Then why are we here Hodgins?"

"To distract Wendell from his surgery," he said pointing to Wendell, who had rolled his eyes and just left the room without a word. "See what you did now."

"What did I do? Come on let's get after him." The two ran out of the room, immediately looking to see where Wendell could have gone. "Wendell?"

"Buddy where are you?"

"Excuse me, are you looking for someone," asked the cleaner.

"Yeah. Our friend, he was wearing a hat, blue jacket, jeans," Booth answered. "He's sick and if we lose him we do not know what will happen."

"I saw him go into an elevator. If you run down the stairs you might catch up with him."

Hodgins and Booth ran to the stairs and down to the lobby. Wendell was nowhere in sight.

"Seriously, where is he?" asked Hodgins. "He's sick, he cannot have gotten far."

"Great, we have a cancer patient running through Las Vegas. City of Sin," Booth commented.

"Should we get the police?"

"We don't need the police. I am FBI remember. We go to Caesar's Palace first. Sounds obvious but Wendell has never been to Vegas and it's the most famous place in the city."

-o-

"Can I get you anything?" asked the waitress as Wendell sat at the table furthest from the casino, not wanting to gamble the little money he had in his pocket away. It wouldn't be a bad option. It could give him a chance to gain more money to pay off his loan or maybe give his mother some but considering the luck he had received over the last few months, he didn't fancy his chances.

"Just whatever beer you have on tap," he answered flipping the coaster with his fingers.

"Are you okay sugar?"

"I just needed some peace and quiet."

"Well, you can have the beer on the house. You look like you really need it."

"Thanks," Wendell gave a small smile and the waitress went to the bar. Taking out his phone he looked to see if anyone had called. Hodgins had called about five times, Booth around nine. He should really call them to tell them he was okay, but he didn't need them bickering on what could basically be his last trip.

"So what is a guy as good looking as you doing on your own?" a woman asked sitting in the seat opposite him.

"I've only just got here. I was going to call my friends and tell them I am okay," Wendell answered looking up at the blonde. The waitress returned with Wendell's beer and he asked, "Can I have some ice chips?"

"Sorry, did you want it in a glass?" asked the waitress.

"No I just feel the need to eat ice chips for some reason."

"Okay, I'll be right back."

"Usually guys eat peanuts or potato chips with their beer," said the woman sitting opposite to him.

"I don't know why I asked for ice chips. So what is your name?" asked Wendell.

"Morgan. Yours?"

"Wendell."

"So what is with the hat? Is it a new fashion statement where you are from?" Wendell removed his hat, showing Morgan his baldhead. "Oh, wow."

"Yeah. Ewing's Sarcoma."

"Is that that a form of alopecia?"

"It's bone cancer. I've been going through chemo for the last twelve weeks."

"Did they say you would be okay?"

"Well the treatment is working and I have to have a operation next week to remove the bone and replace it with a titanium limb."

"Oh, so this is the last trip?"

"Yeah. But you may as well leave because I'm not going to be much use to you tonight."

"I don't mind staying, besides, you look as though you could do with some fun if you mean." She gave Wendell a wink, furthering her suggestive comment. Wendell raised his eyebrows. Fisher had suggested using his cancer as an advantage to get sex and he had thought about doing that when he thought treatment was not an option. "What do you think?"

"Um … Okay."

"Well, Wendell, my room is upstairs."

"That exculpated quickly," Wendell thought when Morgan took his hand.

-o-

"Excuse me, we're looking for our friend. He was wearing a black hat and looked rather thin," Hodgins asked the receptionist.

"Was he wearing a blue jacket and green shirt?"

"Yes."

"He went upstairs with a woman about five minutes ago. The guess is Morgan Philpot."

"What room is she in?" asked Booth.

"Sorry, I cannot divulge that information."

"I'm FBI. Our friend is very sick and should not be on his own."

"Room 204."

"Thank you," said Hodgins before he and Booth ran to the elevator. "Do you suppose that he is having sex with this woman?"

"No Hodgins, I expect him to be snorting crack off her naked body while some pimp is sleeping with her friend on the other bed."

"Welcome to Vegas," Hodgins murmured when they got to the second floor and looked for the room.

"Found it," said Booth. Knocking the door, he called, "Wendell are you in here?"

The door swung open, revealing a panicking Morgan in just her bra, "Oh my God, help me."

"What's going on?" asked Hodgins looking confused.

"I don't know. We were making out, then he said he felt dizzy and then he fainted."

Booth pushed past her and immediately went to check Wendell's breathing and pulse, "His pulse is a little weak, breathing seems shallow."

"I'll call an ambulance," said Hodgins.

"How long has he been out?" Booth asked Morgan.

"About five minutes."

"Okay, help me turn him on his side."

-o-

"Male, thirty. Loss of consciousness. He hasn't woken up in nearly twenty minutes. Breathing is irregular and pulse is sixty-eight," the EMT explained pushing the gunnery that Wendell was lying on top while Booth and Hodgins followed them. "He has stage two Ewing's Sarcoma, and is going through chemo."

"Right, we need to do a blood test and get his breathing stabilised," said the doctor. "How many treatments has he gone through?"

"Eleven," answered Hodgins. "He is supposed to have surgery next week. Is this going to affect that?"

"It depends on what the problem is. Has he been experiencing any strange symptoms?"

"Nothing more than usually."

"Okay, can you wait outside?"

Two hours later, Wendell had finally woken up but he was slightly delirious and put on an oxygen mask.

"You gave us a right scare there Wendell," said Booth looking out for the doctor.

"Sorry," Wendell replied, slightly muffled by the oxygen mask.

"This is going to affect the surgery isn't it." Hodgins said grimly.

"Mr Bray, we have the blood tests back," the doctor declared holding up a file. "You appear to be rather anaemic, which is caused by the chemo. This does have an effect on your surgery as the lack of oxygen in your red blood cells might cause problems under the anaesthesia but I shall consult your doctor."

"What about his breathing and pulse?" asked Booth.

"Lack of oxygen and iron. Just keep an eye on what he eats from now on."

* * *

**Apologies about the late update. I had a lot of seminar prep to do over the weekend. Also this one was a little more difficult to get going. I should hopefully have the story done by the end of the month because I have only three more chapters to write. XX**


	13. You Might Be Going Insane

Chapter Thirteen

After some deliberation between the doctors, Wendell was allowed to go home as long as he was on bed rest and ate more iron rich food. Wendell did not mind as he was feeling tired a lot. He could sleep as much as he wanted though eating spinach was not a high point.

However, he had been sleeping so frequently that he was not sure what was reality and what was not. He had to keep asking Jamie whether or not something had actually happened or whether he was losing his mind. It had started the night he was brought into the Las Vegas hospital where he had a very vivid dream of everyone saying goodbye to him. Then he started having dreams about his childhood, which were confirmed to be true as seen in the home movies, including one that Wendell was hoping to be a dream.

One morning when Wendell woke up to the sight of Dirk sitting by his bed and he had to blink twice to see if he was dreaming.

"Okay, I think I am cracking up now," he said sitting up.

"Why so?" asked Dirk.

"You died. Wait am I dead?"

"Wendell who are you talking to?" asked Jamie through the door. Wendell quickly closed his eyes as his sister opened his bedroom door, pretending to be asleep. "Okay, might just be dreaming."

She closed the door and Wendell opened his eyes. Dirk was still sitting there. "Okay I am clearly not dead. I'm hallucinating. I've actually cracked."

"I went through the same things before I went."

"Great," Wendell said sarcastically. "In other words I am dying."

"It doesn't mean anything. You might just be going insane. Chemo does that sometimes."

"I have to be seeing you for a reason."

"I started seeing my mother and all she did was constantly nag me for not doing stuff to decrease getting cancer. It might be because I was the most recent person you knew to die."

"Oh thank God because if all the cases I have worked on come to haunt me then I will check myself into the psychiatric ward at the hospital. So why are you here haunting me?"

"I don't know. I guess to tell you that dying is not that bad. You might feel drowsy, slip in and out of consciousness."

"It sounds less gruesome than my friend's death. Then again, his was quicker and he didn't anticipate his death for months."

"At least you have your friends and family with you. At least you would have a chance to say goodbye."

"That is a fair point. Did you say good bye to your wife?"

"Well, I died in the middle of the night so the last words I said to her were good night and that I loved her."

"Good words."

-o-

Two days after his first hallucination, Wendell went to make himself a drink as Jamie was at work. That was when he saw Vincent sitting on his couch.

"Okay, I'm going to call Sweets to get some medication because I have gone insane."

"It isn't uncommon for cancer patients to experience negative psychological symptoms," Vincent said, in the same tone when he would tell someone a piece of trivia.

"Usually that is depression. How common is experiencing hallucinations of dead people?"

"Okay, you might be going insane."

"Vincent I am talking to thin air, I think we have gotten past insane."

"Fair point."

"So why are you here?"

"To haught you."

"You did that enough when you were alive."

"I guess you needed reassurance from those who understand what you are going through."

"Vincent, you got shot in the heart. Apples and oranges."

"Either way I am dead."

"Is there anything after death?"

"What exactly do you want me to tell you? That there is a man standing at the golden gates of heaven, asking you three questions about the creation story, inevitably ending with you making a dirty joke?"

"Pretty much."

"I cannot say. It's subjective."

"Thanks Vincent, you made me feel better."

"Is that sarcasm."

"Yes."

"Do you believe in God?"

"I don't know."

"Okay, do you believe in an afterlife?"

"I think I do. Doesn't mean I cannot worry about dying. I still won't be able to see my friends and family again, and they will be cut up."

"Well, if they have faith at you would be okay after you died then you don't have a lot to worry about."

"It doesn't mean that it won't hurt to imagine the pain. I saw it when you died. Dr B, Hodgins … everyone was upset and from what Hodgins said when he returned from your funeral, your mother was devastated."

"It might hurt less as they would know you are going to die. Besides, you might be jumping the gun a bit. You haven't had the operation and you haven't finished your treatment."

"Fair point. It that basically it, can I stop being nuts now?"

"Not quite."

-o-

It was the night before his operation and Wendell had checked himself into the hospital. Jamie was staying overnight as well and by nine, she had fallen asleep. Wendell was still wide-awake and reading a book Brennan had gave him for his birthday but hadn't had the chance to start it what with all the emotional stress of the past couple of months.

"Even when sick you always had your head in a book."

"Dad?" asked Wendell putting down his book. Considering it had been a few days since his last hallucination, he thought that the possibility of seeing his father was low.

"Why you?" his father asked. "Why is it the one who works the hardest has to end up sick?"

"To be honest Jamie got quite ill after you died and she works just as hard as I do."

"To be honest, I remember Jamie refusing to do her homework until the morning it was due. That said I wouldn't have wanted any of you sick, especially with cancer."

"I suppose it is harder due to you dying and the thought about Mom being devastated about the thought of both you and me dying of the same disease. Did you ever have hallucinations?"

"I cannot remember. I probably did."

"That makes me feel better at least."

"Starting to think you are going nuts?"

"Possibly. Dad, was it painful near the end?"

"A little but not so bad. When the nurse explained how it would be, it didn't seem so bad when I had the morphine. I couldn't tell what was real anymore and I could not respond. Bless your mother for trying."

"Jamie has been trying as well. Even when I have been depressed and refusing to eat as much as I should be."

"You always were skinny thing."

"I did put some muscle on but now that is gone. I think it was because of Jamie being sick. Mom increased the portion sizes for everyone so I had to do something. I do miss her cooking though."

"I miss her cooking as well. Especially the ones she would do on the Sunday."

"She still does them. At least she always does the days that Jamie and I are down for the weekend."

"I'm glad to hear that. There wasn't anybody else after I went?"

"No, I think she needed to focus on raising Jane, Jamie and me. Luke had left home by then so she only needed to focus on the three of us. Speaking of Luke, you have a granddaughter, Amy. She's nearly four."

"Another thing I have missed out on. My first grandchild."

"Jane is also getting married. You missed giving you first born daughter away."

"Well, you don't have to miss those out. You still have a chance to have kids, give your daughter away, meet your grandchild."

"That is if I am lucky."

"I think you are lucky. Your treatment is working, more than it did for me."


	14. It Shouldn't Be This Long

Chapter Fourteen

"Hi I am Dr Jensen, I'm going to be doing the surgery to remove your radius," said the young doctor approaching Wendell's hospital bed. "How are you feeling?"

"A little nervous. Did you get the notes about the anaemia?" asked Wendell sitting up.

"I did and I have consulted the anaesthesiologist to give you the lowest dose possible."

"What if I wake up during the surgery and found that you have gone all Hannibal Lecter on my arm?"

"I wasn't planning on serving your arm as part of a dinner party Mr Bray. I honestly do not know because anaesthesia can affect individuals differently. I don't plan for this surgery to take any longer than I intend it to be. You are going to be in a lot of pain after so we shall provide morphine to ease it a little. I think your family and friends are waiting to wish you luck. I'll send them in but they only have an hour before we need to give you the anaesthesia."

"Okay. Thanks." Dr Jensen left the room and before Wendell could even relax Brennan, Booth, Hodgins, Angela, Cam and Sweets all came in. "Hey."

"Nervous?" asked Booth.

"A little. I just hope it is enough."

"Well, I asked the surgeon if I could be in the operating room," Brennan said.

"She said yes because they thought it would be dumb to deny Dr Brennan being in an orthopaedic surgery," said Hodgins.

"She also wanted to make sure the surgeons are going to do it right," Angela stated.

"Thanks anyway Dr B. How are my family doing?"

"Your mother is worried but I do not blame her," Cam answered.

"It's normal behaviour," Sweets commented. "It isn't the first time she has had to witness a loved one –" Angela at that point placed her hand over his mouth.

"I think what he is trying to say is that she is allowed to worry because you are her son and she loves you," she said. "We just wanted to come in to wish you luck and tell you that we love you."

"And that we are going to be waiting for you to come out of surgery," Hodgins continued. "Even though I cannot deal with waiting, I don't want to hurt myself because I am anxious."

Wendell smiled and for the next half an hour, he and the team talked about old experiments, funny nights out while Brennan changed into her scrubs. They all went to the waiting room while Wendell's family came in. Jamie had stood by the door, possibly looking out for the doctor Wendell assumed.

"Did they say how long the recovery would be?" asked Luke.

"They said there could be some physiotherapy but there isn't a specific time scale. I still need to go through thirteen rounds of chemo."

"But they are removing the tumour; you should not be more chemo."

"It's just to kill the remaining cancer cells."

"I know but thirteen sounds excessive," their mother commented.

"I need to grab a coffee, does anyone want anything?" asked Jamie.

"Can you wait five minutes?" asked her mother.

"I really need to get coffee Mom. I promise I'll be back in five minutes." Jamie left without saying another word.

"She might just be worried and needed some air Mom. Just give her a moment," said Wendell.

"I think Mom was right when she said Jamie could not handle the stress," Luke commented.

"She's actually done pretty fantastic. She eats more than I do most of time. The only time she has actually freaked out was when I went missing for a couple of hours," Wendell said defending his sister.

"Okay, calm down. There is no need for you to raise your blood pressure." All their mother could do was roll her eyes. Even when one of the boys was sick, they would bicker and it was easier just to let them get on with it.

The nurse came into the room to do some final checks on Wendell's vitals just as Jamie returned with a surprise.

"Jane, what are you doing here?" asked Wendell, surprised at the sight of his older sister.

"I took a few days off because I wanted to see if you were okay after your surgery," she answered giving him a hug. "You should keep the bald head it suits you."

"I look ridiculous and you know it."

"I'm sorry to say that your family has to move to the waiting room now so that we can administer your anaesthesia," the nurse said, not really wanting to separate them too soon but she needed to get Wendell ready.

"Are you sure we don't have five minutes?" asked Jamie. The nurse shook her head and Jamie went to give her brother a hug. Even Luke gave him a hug. Wendell was rather reluctant to let go of his mother until he nurse became quite impatient and his mother had to leave him.

-o-

"Should we ask how long is it going to take?" asked Hodgins for possibly the third time since Wendell went into surgery.

"It shouldn't be this long," said Booth.

"Booth he is having a bone removed. It isn't like having your appendix removed," Cam said, getting a little antsy.

"Okay, I don't think this is helping anyone," said Sweets.

"What isn't helping anyone?" asked Angela.

"Bickering with each other."

"We are not bickering," stated Cam. "We're just anxious."

"I cannot believe you lot are having a fight about having a fight," said Jane.

"Don't worry, this is normal," Sweets said.

"How we have managed for the last twelve years is beyond me," Angela commented.

"It's just the way of life," said Hodgins.

"Wendell always said you were a strange bunch. Still, he talks highly of you guys."

"He always spoke highly of his family, which is more than I can say," said Booth.

"I still remember the time where he used a technique from his time in the pizza business to help remove a dead body from cardboard," Cam reminisced.

"I honestly thought he was involved with the mafia on his first case. That was after he through Bren had come on to him," Angela added.

"Then there was the case of the guy on our rival hockey team," said Booth.

"I once told him that I had planned his murder in great detail," Hodgins said without thinking, to which everyone gave him a weird look. "Sorry."

"Has there been any news?" asked Jamie sitting down.

"No. Where is Mom?" asked Jane.

"She's in the prayer room. She started chatting to a very nice woman whose daughter is having a lung transplant."

"Well, at least she has something to take her mind off it. Sort off."

"Where is Luke?"

"Went to call Jill. These guys were reminiscing about some of the weird things Wendell gets up to at work."

"I still remember the time he ended up in Juvie hall."

"How did he end up in Juvie hall anyway?" asked Hodgins.

"Long story," answered Jane.

"I think we have time."

"Well…" Jamie began before Brennan came into view.

"Um … So, there were some complications as the bone erosion was much worse than the doctor's thought it would be. However, it was just the radius that had eroded. It hadn't spread to his ulna or humerus."

"What about his oxygen levels?" asked Cam.

"They remained stable for the most part. They managed to remove the radius and replace it with a titanium implant."

"He's going to be okay though?" asked Jamie.

"Aside from the pain due to the removal of the bone from the joint, he should be fine. They are just stitching his arm up and he should be in his room within the next hour or so." Brennan gave them a reassuring smile and Booth got up to give her hug.

"I'm going to tell Mom," said Jane getting up.


	15. It's Nice to Meet You Zoe

Chapter Fifteen 

_Four months later_

For the first time since being diagnosed, Wendell walked into Founding Fathers where he was meeting Hodgins and Booth for a drink to celebrate his last chemo session. They had called to say they would be a little late due to the case they were working on.

"Can I get you anything?" asked the bartender.

"Scotch please," Wendell answered. When the glass was put in front of him, he tentatively took a sip. He had stopped drinking since his surgery so this was going to be the first in a while, yet it didn't feel like it had been a while when he tasted it. It still tasted the same despite the doctors telling him that certain tastes would be altered.

He was about to order another when he heard the sound of papers falling to the floor and a woman cursing. He turned his head to see a woman around his age on the floor trying to collect the papers she had dropped on the floor. Being the gentleman he was, Wendell got off his seat and knelt to the floor to help her.

"Thank you," she said.

"No problem," Wendell replied. Once all the papers had been collected, the woman sat at the bar to order her drink. "That is a lot of papers for someone to carry."

"I'm a teacher. These are the quizzes and homework that I need to grade."

"Ah, at least you don't work for the CIA and I have uncovered your latest mission to expose a corrupt government." The woman raised her eyebrow. "Sorry, this is the sense of humour I have."

"No it was amusing, I just don't have much of a sense of humour."

"What grade do you teach?"

"Third. I know it seems bad not to have much of a sense of humour when teaching kids. They seem to get a laugh out of it though. So what do you do?"

"I'm an anthropology intern at the Jeffersonian. Though I have taken some time off recently."

"I can see. I mean you're wearing a hat indoors and I don't think that is something that you would usually do."

"Yeah, that is always a giveaway. I've just finished treatment though. I just need to have tests to see if it has worked."

"Oh right. So what do you do at the Jeffersonian?"

"I identify remains and find the cause of death."

"By identifying you mean you look for gender?"

"And race. Bone structure can differentiate between races as well. If all I had was your skull, I could tell by certain features that you were Hispanic. I mean it is obvious you are Hispanic but you understand what I am trying to get at?"

"I understand."

"So if you have a load of stuff to grade, why are you in a bar?"

"I'm meeting my family for dinner and this is somewhere where I have always been interested in eating in."

"Fair enough."

"Why is a cancer patient in a bar?"

"I'm meeting friends to celebrate my last chemo session. Speaking of whom," Wendell said when he saw Hodgins and Booth come through the door.

"I shall leave you then. I never got your name by the way."

"It's Wendell."

"Well, Wendell it was nice to meet you. I'm Zoe for the record."

"It's nice to meet you Zoe."

To be Continued...

* * *

**1. Thank you for all the follows, favourites and reviews. Much appreciated.**

**2. This isn't the end of the story.**

**3. I might not get the sequel up immediately due to the next few months being completely hectic in terms of readings,revision, essays and exams. The joys of uni eh. I might get the first chapter up in March but I am not expecting to have regular updates. I am publishing an Avengers story but that was all written a couple of months ago save some edits. **

**4. Again thank you. **


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